Unveiling the Genesis of Hearthstone's Exciting Twist

Hearthstone recently introduced Twist, a fresh new way to climb the ladder that brings excitement to the game. With Twist, the card pool will change periodically, introducing new limitations and unexpected surprises to keep players engaged. However, this innovative mode comes with a trade-off: Classic Hearthstone will be retired in favor of Twist, although elements of Classic will still exist in its successor.

In a roundtable interview with Game Rant, features lead Chadd Nervig and lead modes designer Matt London delved into the concept behind Hearthstone Twist. They discussed the purpose of Twist and the creative process that led to its development. Additionally, the developers explained the reasoning behind the decision to replace Classic and how Twist pays tribute to the retired game mode.

How Hearthstone Twist Came to Be

With the introduction of Standard, many cards in players' collections become unusable after two years. While they may still have occasional use in Tavern Brawls, Hearthstone wanted to provide a space for non-Wild players to utilize these cards.

Standard implements yearly rotations of the Hearthstone Core set to maintain a balanced meta, while Wild allows for unrestricted gameplay with cards from multiple years. However, both formats have a predictable nature. "After a while, a format gets solved," London explained. "It becomes easier to determine the power level of cards in relation to each other." In contrast, Twist embraces unpredictability, with its ever-changing card pools preventing any single strategy from dominating the format for an extended period. Additionally, Hearthstone is prepared to take action by nerfing or banning problematic cards if necessary.

Twist is a natural progression from the Hearthstone Tavern Brawl, incorporating similar deck-building restrictions and serving as an inspiration for the new format. The goal was to create variants that offer more depth and longevity, allowing players to invest in building a deck and engage with the format over an extended period of time. While Tavern Brawls provide a fun activity to play occasionally, Twist is primarily a ladder format. The format aims to be enjoyable and captivating without destabilizing the game, unlike certain Tavern Brawls that have that potential.

Design space overlaps between Tavern Brawls and Twist, but the former is designed for weekend enjoyment, while the latter is designed to provide a month-long fun experience. Therefore, more unconventional formats are better suited for Tavern Brawls, while slightly eccentric formats with potential for long-term engagement find their place in Twist.

While some of its rules may resemble those found in Standard, others may resemble those in Wild, and still others may resemble those in Tavern Brawls, Twist introduces a unique element to Hearthstone. This expansion theme features dual-class gameplay, allowing players to ban specific class matchups and includes a card pool focused on mechs. The possibilities for Twist are seemingly limitless, as long as it remains enjoyable and engaging for players.

Classic Hearthstone: Gone, but Not Forgotten

In 2021, Hearthstone introduced the Classic mode, which aimed to bring the game back to its roots. This nostalgic mode only allowed players to use the original cards from the game's inception. All the cards that had undergone changes since the launch of Hearthstone were reverted to their original versions, and the newer Demon Hunter and Death Knight classes were not available. However, Hearthstone has recently made the decision to discontinue the Classic mode and replace it with a new mode called Twist.

With the decline in popularity of the Classic mode in Hearthstone, the game is making changes for two main reasons. Firstly, the static nature of Classic, with no new cards or balance adjustments, led to a decrease in engagement over time. Despite an initial surge in popularity, interest quickly waned. Secondly, as many cards have been updated for modern Hearthstone, certain cards behave differently in Classic. To address this, the game aims to have only one version of each card across all formats, simplifying gameplay for players who no longer have to remember multiple versions of the same card. However, Classic Hearthstone will still have a presence in the new Twist mode, which offers players a nostalgic yet fresh experience. London confirmed that Classic and Classic-adjacent formats will be considered for Twist, so players can expect to see rules inspired by Classic in the future.

Classic Hearthstone achievements will still be available in the Twist mode, as confirmed by London. The details on how players can earn these achievements are still being worked out. Furthermore, Twist mode will have its own unique set of achievements for players to pursue. Ultimately, Twist mode aims to cater to all types of players, ensuring there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Hearthstone is available now for Mobile and PC.